Regina committee moves ahead on $107M plan to move Ring Road rail tracks

Regina city councillors voted Wednesday in favour of removing CP and CN rail tracks from a busy section of Ring Road at an estimated cost of $107 million.

A financing plan is set to be included during 2020 budget talks and city council still needs to approve the project's preliminary design before construction could start.

Wednesday's meeting of council's executive committee set out an eight-year timeline for the project, which involves relocating the Ring Road tracks between Winnipeg Street and McDonald Street.

The city believes moving the tracks would result in fewer accidents and improve traffic flow.

Both CP and CN were consulted by the company the city hired to do the feasibility study. But the executive committee says letters of support from the rail companies are still needed before moving ahead.

The rail consultant company, HDR Corporation, concluded that moving the tracks might take longer than building underpasses or overpasses, but it's still the better option.

The cost of the relocation project is expected to be shared with the provincial and federal governments.

The project would need to be weighed against other competing financial priorities, the city said.